At a meeting last week of the Board of the Queens Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Albert Pennisi was voted in as the council's new president.

Pennisi will be responsible for giving support to the board's mission of expanding and financially supporting the Scouting program in Queens. He will also have a seat on the Greater New York Councils Board.

Pennisi was elected unanimously in the William DeCota Port Authority Administration building at John F. Kennedy Airport. DeCota had been the Queens Council president for nearly a decade before he passed away suddenly in 2009.

Pennisi is currently special counsel to Daniels, Norelli, Scully & Cecere, P.C. He is a graduate of St. Johns University and St. John’s Law School and was admitted to practice law in New York in 1967.

As a defense attorney he has represented the Lefrak Organization since 1977 and numerous real estate companies with respect to housing matters. In the last five years, he has represented clients in defense cases involving lead paint poisoning, and has lectured extensively on lead poisoning since 1995.

In addition to his legal work Pennisi is the immediate past president of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. He served as president from 2005 to 2008 and remains an officer with the group.

Pennisi was a Scout in his youth and has fond memories of his son attending Ten Mile River Scout Reservation, as well as helping build his son's Pinewood Derby cars.

“Mr. Pennisi brings an amazing combination of talents to the position of Council President,” said Joseph Schiltz, Greater New York Councils Field Director. “He is proud of his Scouting background as a youth and a parent, as well as recognized community and business leader. His leadership will benefit our community youth, who are our most precious resource.”